Strategy Technostrobe crosses the border

The SME from Coteau-du-Lac, near Vaudreuil-Dorion, will soon open its subsidiary Technostrobe Offshore Solutions, whose plant will assemble beacon equipment for offshore wind turbines.

It is an investment of 4.5 million US in Albany, capital of the State of New York, 360 km south of Montreal.

"This is the latest development in a strategic shift undertaken in 2018 with the purchase of the Dutch equipment manufacturer of ITO maritime beacon systems Navaids", said Francis Lacombe, president, during an interview.

“At the time, we saw that offshore wind projects were to be completed in the years to come and park developers were to be sensitive to a proposal from a company capable of amalgamating aviation beacon products , which Technostrobe made in Montreal, and navigation beacon products, which were produced in the Netherlands,” he explains.

Unlike onshore wind turbines, windmills at sea are obstacles for both planes and ships. They require a whole series of beaconing, light and sound equipment, such as visibility detectors, fog criers and safety aid lights.

"The mission of our American subsidiary is to prepare all this equipment in a kit that will simplify the installation of equipment for the customer while increasing the level of quality", summarizes Mr. Lacombe, who has worked at Technostrobe since 2008.

According to him, Technostrobe stands out from its peers by its knowledge of both the American market and European wind turbine manufacturers, especially since its acquisition in the Netherlands. Europe is indeed one step ahead of North America when it comes to offshore wind farms.

A history of innovation

Founded in 2001 by Guy Buisson, Technostrobe first made its niche by successfully separating the optical module, the lights at the top of the tower, from the electronic power module, at the bottom of the tower. Successfully beating Ohm's Law – the greater the distance between the power and the optical module, the less energy there will be for the lights – has allowed the company to make life easier for tower operators. communication by allowing them to carry out maintenance of equipment on the ground rather than 80 m or more in the air.

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Subsequently, the manufacturer developed LIDS (Lighting Intensity Dimming Solution) technology, which adjusts the intensity of the beacons according to visibility. Innovation contributes to the social acceptability of wind farms by reducing light pollution.

Technostrobe will write the next page of its history in the United States. The Albany plant will occupy 1,500 m ^⁠2 and will employ 20 people. The opening is scheduled for February ¹ . The first deliveries are due to begin on June ¹ , 2022.

Sole shareholder of the SME he acquired from its founder in 2021, Francis Lacombe is currently concluding the financial package for the American expansion. The company's usual financial partners are Desjardins Group and Fondaction CSN.

Offshore wind hub

The opening of an assembly plant in the United States was requested by the main clients, whether offshore wind farm operators or wind turbine manufacturers themselves, under the requirements of the Buy America Act. “It's part of the rules of the game. However, the Quebec head office will gain by succeeding in selling more products to the American subsidiary,” specifies Mr. Lacombe.

Why Albany rather than Plattsburgh, like Bombardier, formerly, and Nova Bus? “It is in the process of building a manufacturing hub for offshore wind turbine components in Albany thanks to its port facilities on the Hudson River, which gives access to the American east coast,” replies the president.

The centerpiece of this production platform, the manufacturer Marmen of Trois-Rivières is building, with its partner Welcon of Denmark, an assembly plant for offshore wind turbine components at the port of Albany. Production is slated to begin in late 2023. Marmen is the chosen manufacturer by the Equinor Wind U.S. consortium, winning two New York State tenders totaling nearly 2,500 megawatts (MW), enough to serve 1 .3 million homes.

New York State has five offshore wind farms under development, representing about 50% of its goal of reaching 9,000 MW of wind power by 2035. By comparison, Quebec ranks second among the main Canadian wind power markets with an installed capacity of just under 4,000 MW.

The potential market is substantial. “We have won contracts for the first five offshore parks and there are plans to build 89 offshore parks on the US East Coast over the next 25 years. Mr. Lacombe is targeting revenues of 45 million by 2025.

Technostrobe in brief

Founded in 2001Chaired by Francis LacombeThree facilities (Coteau-du-Lac, the Netherlands and soon Albany)Slightly more than $15 million in revenue in 2021 (60% from export)70 employees (including future hires in Albany)

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